Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1887-06-30
CHAPTER XIV.
THE THIRD DAISY.

A June morning, all the color and
light, all fragrance and song; the sun
shining so brightly that the birds sung
for joy, and the flowers opened their
hearts, full of richest odors. The oak
trees at Oakcliffe are in full leaf. each
one green kingdom in itself, the great
boughs stretching out full of life and
vigor, each green leaf thrilling with its
own sense of life and ecstacy: the birds
are busy in those leafy boughs, the nests
are full, the sun shining; what more do
happy birds want? The beautiful broad
river seems fuller and clearer this MORN
ing, and shadows fallon the deep water
at Herons' Pool; the roses and lilies
are blooming just as they had bloomed
seventeen years ago, when golden
haired Marguerite Marine stood in their
midst. seventeen years since the day
on which the vaults at Cliffe were
closed. Kingdoms and dynasties had
come to an end, empires had been
shaken, great monarchs had lost their
thrones; the world had trembled be-
meath the shock of war; famine and
pestilence had gathered in thier thou
sands; great men had died, yet the sun
shone on the grand old walls of Oakcliffe
Towers, on the grand old trees in the
park, just as it had shone seventeen
years ago. While so much changed.
no change came there, save one-the
third Daisy had grown into beautiful,
graceful girl.
Lady Perth had married again; won
derful as 1t may seem, a man had been
found brave enough to WOO and win
her. Lord Stair, after the terrible ac-
cident, with its terrible ending, re-
NAMED abroad for seven years, and
during that time the proud, cold wom-
an grew tired of the great lonely house,
and the lonely life. She was still fine
imposing presence, and was thought by
some people to be handsome woman.
She met the Maequis of Holte during a
visit she paid to Cowes, and, as far as
it was possible. he fell in love with her.
The Marquis was much-tried man, a
widower with six daughters, and this
fact, which would have prevented
many ladies from accepting him. was
an inducement to Lady Perth. TO
have the full and entire control of six
girls to plan good marriages for them.
was delightful to her; so, when the
marquis half-timidly laid his proposals
berofe her she accepted them at once.
II was better after all, to be Marchion-
ess of Holte, with six step-daughters
than to spend the remainder of her life
as housekeeper to her brother.
Lord Stairs amazement can be i'm
agined when letter from his sister
summoned him home, because she was
going to be married. Ethel was nearly
eight years old, and Lady Perth had
secured the services of most accom-
lished lady as governess.
There was no obstacle In the way
there was nothing to wait for, and the
marquis wished the marriage to take
place before the season began, so that
his wife could take charge of his daugh-
tiers while IL lasted.
So, in the early spring, Lord Stair
came home: Lady Perth was married,
and new life began at Oakcliffe
Towers. The lovely little daughter of
the house from that day reigned as its
mistress, Lord Stair idolized her: he
devoted his life to her, and Ethel Stair
was worth all the devotion and care
lavisbed upon her.
She had grown up beautiful, innocent
and graceful. In figure she was tall
and slender, as her beautiful mother
had been; but while the mother had
been fair, with golden hair and violet
eyes, Ethel had the dark beauty of the
Stairs. Her hair was black, her ewes
dark and magnificent; the coloring of
her face was superb.
TO BE Continued